Saturday, January 7, 2012

The Plan

I'm not a big one for resolutions in the new year, at not least resolutions per se. And I'm also not a huge fan of resolutions with regard to my knitting or spinning. I think part of this has to do with the fact that my work life is so planned out (for example, at this point I have a fairly detailed plan for my work and research stretching through to June 2013; if I make it that long and get everything done, when it's supposed to get done, I will have shuffled many of my overcommitments off of my plate, and should have some breathing space to figure out the next plan - we'll see) that it's really nice not to have my knitting/spinning life too planned out. (Note that I am not counting here the spinning classes that are coming up at my LYS, for which I am already - you guessed it - planning.)

Nevertheless, I have lately been sitting in the fiber room (aka the den), noticing wistfully and with sidelong glances the skeins and balls of yarn (we won't speak yet of the bumps and braids of fiber) which I bought with a specific project in mind (heck, I even bought the pattern) which somehow fell by the wayside as other, momentarily shinier, projects caught my eye. The thing is, though, I bought that yarn and those patterns because I really, really liked them - and I still do. Therefore, and after talking to Sallee about her plans for the next year (it would appear that I'm not the only one with this issue), it seems that the thing to do is to put all of that yarn together with the proper patterns and to bust a move on these projects. It's a KAL of sorts, although I don't know that we're sure what to call it - you are most welcome to play along.

Here are the ones that were the most obvious:

(and by obvious, I mean: sitting right there in plain sight, or immediately available in my stash); and one more that I forgot when I was putting those together:

A little tour, then, is in order. First, the ones whose yarn/pattern match I am most absolutely sure about (as in, I'm not rethinking my original plans). That pile of blue right up there (and I should say that the colors on none of these is quite right, but I'm busting a move here, and I'm not stopping for anything), is some Rowan denim that I bought on sale in Sacramento over Thanksgiving (taking that sale as a sign that it is finally time) to knit the Indigo Ripples Skirt, which I have been wanting to knit ever since I saw it in IK in (sigh) 2007. I'm hoping this is enough yarn... (if anyone has some Rowan denim in the dark blue (80), dyelot 225 that they're dying to get rid of, you know where to find me)

Next up: that single blue skein there is a skein of Sanguine Gryphon Bugga that I managed to score ages ago (colorway Blue Metalmark) that I've been hoarding, saving it for "good". That's silly. So I'm knitting a pair of the Kimono socks (my very favorite) out of it - I know I'll wear those a ton, as this denimy color goes with just about everything I wear. The skein at 12:00 there (which is really a lovely fuscia, not at all the orangey it appears in this picture) is a skein of Baah! Luscious Lace (merino/silk) that has been destined since I saw it to become a Citron shawl (you can see the pattern right there), and so it shall. And the two skeins of Hazel Knits artisan sock below (colorways, Rick's Cognac and Splish Splash; the blue one is closer to robin's egg blue, but the other one is pretty close) were purchased at Sock Summit this past summer with the express goal of becoming Catkin. I'm thinking the amber as the main color and blue as the contrast - any opinions?

Next up:

The hank and ball up there on the top are the remains of the Briar Rose Seapearl (my very favorite yarn) that I used to knit my first Wine Dark Sea sweater. That sweater, for various reasons having to do with the great mismatch between my image of myself and my actual self, is too big. I have long been meaning to knit it again, and maybe to even write up the pattern as I do so. I am hoping that the approximately 900 yards that I have there will be enough (it should be). Below that is a cake of BMFA Socks that Rock lightweight in Schwarzwald, from this last year's sock club. It's destined to be socks for Rick (using the club pattern that came with). And the two skeins to the right of that are Alpaca with a Twist Fino (alpaca/silk) meant to become a pair of Oh Deer! for me. (Seriously, best mittens ever; they totally make me happy - so serious and elegant on top, so goofy on the bottom.)

Finally:

These are the ones I'm a little less sure about. The skein of sock yarn at the top is definitely destined to become a pair of socks for my dad before his birthday next fall; I just don't know what pattern yet. (The yarn is Holiday Yarn Flock Sock in the Cafe au lait colorway.) The little skein next to the Pretty Thing pattern is a skein of Plymouth Earth ecco cashmere; I bought it with Pretty Thing in mind, but there's more yardage there than I really need for the pattern (and I don't want to waste cashmere!), and I'm worrying/dithering about the utility of a neckwarmer in my world, so we'll see. The cake of yarn next to the Drifted Pearls pattern is a ball of Briar Rose cashmere; my dither there arises from my fear that I might not have enough yardage for the pattern and my feeling that perhaps this yarn should be for Rick - the colors would look great on him. So the pattern may have a rethink. And finally, there are three skeins of Hazel Knits Entice (merino/cashmere/nylon) that I also bought at Sock Summit this year, specifically to make a sweater for myself. I'm pretty sure that it will be a pullover Leaving (such a lovely pattern), but I'm still dithering over the pullover/cardigan question, and reserve the right to fall in love with another sweater prior to the cast on.

So there it is. I also have some projects OTN that I want to finish, and a few that I will probably make the decision to abandon and rip this year, but that's another story. I will also probably do the same kind of thing I've done here for my spinning fiber - I have purchased quite a bit of it with specific projects/plans/spinning experiments in mind, and it's time to organize that and queue it up. And I can think of two or three more projects' worth of yarn (that is, yarn I purchased with something very specific in mind) that I'll probably dig out of stash fairly soon to organize like this. How about it? Am I the only one out there with planned but unexecuted projects lurking about, rattling their chains in my stash? Projects which still appeal, only eclipsed by some shiny distraction, projects which deserve their day in the sun? How about you?

16 comments:

Sigh. You're more organized right now than I am. I inherited a bag of yarn from someone and now I have MORE yarn in my stash. OK. This coming week, I'll pull it all out, look at it and make some decisions. Not resolutions, mind you.

Now that's planning. I have two partially finished pairs of socks that I have promised myself I'll finish this month. Um, I think there are actually three. Doable, I just have to force myself, and not start anything new.

I've just done the same thing, identified 12 projects to complete (2 WIPs and 10 queued on Ravelry) this year. Yarn in stash, patterns either bought or downloaded and ready to go). It looks like a pleasant structure to my year. I do sometimes feel guilty about all the lovely yarn I have which I never get round to using, and this should deal with that, after all :^)

Since one of the "shiny objects" that has sidetracked me is silk hankie knitting with you, I'd say that yes, I'm in the same boat with projects all ready and not yet cast on. I would love to join you in your personal KAL, but if I finish 5 this year I will be happy, unlike your 30!!! of 2011. Here's to knitting what we've got, and finding even more shiny objects at our LYS :)

Yes!! I definitely need to make this sort of plan. (Without my intending it, however, this first week back at school has sparked a major push toward finishing up languishing 2011 WIPs. I think I'll go with whatever's driving that before I make my own version of the KAL ....)

Think we're all the same. I've just cleared some space, and filled it up again, even though there are two projects on the needles already. Have fun with these projects, it does feel good to see them come into being

Excellent idea. I am one of those overly organized people. Right now because I just took christmas down finally and everything got shoved in my yarn room it's a disaster. It's really gonna take a day to fix it. Today is the day it's driving me crazy.

Good for you, it all looks so organized! I tried this last year with sock patterns & yarn, I made 6 little kits...I'm still workign on the first one. But that's okay, I'll get to them all someday. Right now I am working on finding projects for yarn that I don't know what to do with, yarn that was given to me or I bought eons ago and don't even remember what it was for. I figure if I at least find a project for it, I'm much more likely to use it.We'll see...I'll look forward to seeing your lovely projects through the year (or not, as the mood strikes you. ;-))

I know what you mean about planning. It can all seem like too much sometimes (especially when the "Exciting Plan" list turns into the "Must Do Even Though I'm Tired" list).

Still, it's really nice to have something that you can just grab and knit when you're ready for a project. I have almost no knitting at the moment, because my one sock isn't appealing and everything else needs thought before I can get started. I have time to knit here and there, but not enough to think!

These look like great plans for the new year. As long as the plan is there to be helpful and not to force you to work on something specific, it seems like a good idea to me. =)

Wow, I commend you for being able to organize your knitting goals so succinctly. All of my projects, whether they are OTN or as yet unborn and unrealized, take on their own directions. Others start themselves randomly. Currently I have my heart set on lace curtains using this pattern: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/not-a-drop (boy, am I in over my head!), but I am committed to organizing my own goals before beginning THAT ONE...Alas, I am beyond hope, but you and your needles seem to be in good health. Good luck accomplishing all you have in mind!

Up until last year, hardly any of my yarn/fiber purchases were made with a plan in mind. And last year I didn't purchase much of either. (I'm trying to be more intentional.) So I have much fiber in need of 'intent'. I love the Leaving sweater, cardigan makes more sense for out climate, but it looks so pretty as a pullover! Maybe one of each....

And here I am finally wandering over here to comment! I've not gotten quite so organized, I don't believe (certainly no photos of the projects as planned). But my first and second are OTN. Mind you, I'm stymied by the mittens at the moment, but Clapotis is moving along nicely.

This isn't so much resolution as *preparation*. Quite different! And I'm really looking forward to seeing all these lovely things knit up!

I started a project list for knitting and crafts, and found that I had a substantial amount of scope creep...it turned into a massive list of absolutely everything 'projecty' that I want to get done- house stuff, craft stuff, repairs, you name it. In some ways it's overwhelming- but it's also kind of relief to write it all down and start crossing it off the list as opposed to having the 'oh-I-really-should-do' whatevers popping up randomly all the time with no sense of just how long the list is.